Meet the Artist: Emeli Theander

The seduction of Emeli Theander's work lies in the peculiar way she combines the poetry of dreams and the marvel of children's tales. It is figurative, in the sense that it is a setting for mysterious totemic figures at the cusp of fantasy and myth. In a cold, aquatic light, creatures- half-human, half-animal – from the Norse legends, strike a pose, watching us. Their pink flesh contrasts violently with the extraordinary shadowy masks they wear as disguises, a baroque mishmash of all kinds of animals, birds, rabbits, fish or wolves, between dreamlike superimposition and carnival madness.

You've described yourself as a psychological archaeologist, what does this title mean to you? Do you consider your paintings artefacts from your life?

In my artistic practice, I see myself as digging into the past of my own associations, dragging what I found into the present, and placing it into a brand new context by arranging my findings within my paintings.

What influenced the artworks you have submitted for our Ten Year Anniversary Auction?

My work is about counterbalances and the fragilities of states of being, exploring the ragged boarder between life and loss of it. I have had to deal with a rare disease which pushed me towards crossing that boarder several times. This definitely left an impact on my paintings.

When do you feel most like painting?

The more impossible it would be to paint in any situation, the more I feel like it. But I have small children, so I take what I can get.

Do you have any projects on the horizon that you would like to share?

I'm excited to have my work exhibited in a show in Beijing, China for the first time in my career. I have a few other fires in the oven, which must remain there for now.